Pesto Chicken Salad with Red Grapes

All I can say about this salad is, "OMG! It was so good!" That, and it's from The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet by Paulette Mitchell. I've blogged about this book before, once when I found it (thanks to a fellow blogger), and once when I tried, and totally botched, her winter squash soup. The recipes from Paulette's book are full of fresh, real ingredients. Needless to say, I have a very long list of recipes I want to try. And this salad is a keeper.

Pesto Chicken Salad with Red Grapes-Adapted from The 15-Minute Gourmet
Printable Recipe

for the pasta:
6 oz penne rigate

for the dressing:
1/4 cup pesto (she recommends her pesto, I used store-bought)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

for the salad:
1 1/2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (I used 1 cup)
1 cup coarsely shredded carrots (I used store-bought matchstick)
1 cup halved seedless red grapes
2 green onions, coarsely chopped (I used three, about 1/4-inch sliced)
salt and pepper to taste
8 leaves red leaf lettuce (I used cut red lettuce)
freshly ground pepper
freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook the penne according to the package directions. Drain it well, rinse it with cold water, and drain it well again.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Add the penne, chicken, carrots, grapes, and green onions to the dressing. Toss gently until everything is evenly combined.

4. Serve the salad with the lettuce, and garnish with the pepper and Parmesan cheese.

I was happy that my salad looked just like the picture in the book, although mine seemed to have more dressing. The dressing was also pretty vinegar-y. My husband thought it was awesome, but I might decrease the amount of vinegar a little the next time I make it.